Catching ducks

[Quacking Pigeon]

Something I’ve wanted to do for a few months is catch these two feral Mallard drakes that live down at a river, but according to my Australian duck book it is illegal to catch wild mallards unless you have a permit. I’ve been on some government websites and can’t find anything about it, so I’m very confused. Also I’ve tried multiple times contacting the council about the ducks and they never answered, and on their website they have a page about feral species seen and mallards aren’t even on it but hard heads are or something. What should I do?

 

[thumper650]

What do you want to do with them? They'll be terrible pets.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are Mallards native to NSW,AU?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Are Mallards native to NSW,AU?

No, mallards are only native to the northern hemisphere. Also mallards have crossbred with our native ducks.

What do you want to do with them? They'll be terrible pets.

Well if any of them are to the mallard show standard I may show them, and they’d also be handy for breeding since I don’t want my birds to inbreed.

 

[thumper650]

Maybe you could just have them come over for a well, booty call for lack of a better term. Then you might have some nice babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If they aren't native then they are feral so I'd say you can catch them and take them home. Usually only native birds are protected species.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

If they aren't native then they are feral so I'd say you can catch them and take them home. Usually only native birds are protected species.

Yeah they are an introduced species. I wanted to get the all clear from the council about catching them but they never answered, I guess it wasn’t that important.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I haven’t caught them yet. From a few sources I’ve found that they are not protected as they are introduced. But I cannot find any information whether you need a permit or a license to capture them in NSW.

They haven’t been listed as a bad pest species like Canadian Geese. And therefore I have no clue on what I’m technically allowed to do, if I would even be able to capture them.

I haven’t even been to the park that had the two Mallard drakes in a year or two. So, I have no clue if they’re still there. If I were to capture them I would probably do it during molt, so then they are unable to fly away. I’ll have to wait till we are allowed to go out again first.

 

[johntfs]

Are there any rangers or something like it at the park? Maybe ask one of them about them. If they're gone it's a moot point anyway.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Are there any rangers or something like it at the park? Maybe ask one of them about them. If they're gone it's a moot point anyway.

No. It’s a public park not a national park so I think that there are no rangers. So, I think I’d have to get in contact with the local council about it. But I never got an email back in 2018.